The present invention relates to ski bindings in general and in particular to a releasable step-in type ski binding comprising a movable clamping member. The movable clamping member has an open and a closed position and is coupled to a force unit comprising a spring member for providing a clamping force for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski rearward of the toe and forward of the rear of the heel of the ski boot.
Step-in bindings greatly facilitate securing a ski boot to a ski. Before the advent of the step-in type ski binding, in order to secure a ski boot to a ski, it was often necessary for a skier to bend over and/or crouch in order to reach the binding parts for engaging the binding parts. With the step-in type ski binding, the binding parts may be set while the skier is in a comfortable and upstanding position. The ski is then placed on the ground and the skier simply places his foot in the binding and pressing downwardly causes the binding mechanism to react and releasably engage mating parts on the ski boot.
In all step-in ski bindings it is important that the various parts of the binding work freely and with minimum forces between the interfacing parts, so as to provide ease of operation and long life and reliability. In order for the binding to be easy to use, it is necessary that the activation of the binding during the step-in procedure does not cause the ski to move unduly from beneath the skier's foot. This is necessary to insure proper mating of the binding parts on the ski and the boot and is particularly important and necessary when the ski is being resecured to a ski boot as after a fall on the side of a hill or under other difficult snow and terrain conditions.
Step-in ski bindings having one or more clamping members releasably securing a ski boot to a ski rearward of the toe and forward of the rear of the heel of the ski boot are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,753 issued to Whitaker et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,205 issued to Edmund.
In Whitaker et al. there is provided a binding in which a force unit comprising an overcenter mechanism is located at the rear end of the binding. To voluntarily exit the binding, a skier must twist to the rear and bend over to grasp and lift the overcenter mechanism. This can be awkward and difficult under the adverse slope and snow conditions discussed above particularly if the skier is wearing bulky insulated cold-weather clothing.
In Edmund there is provided a binding in which there is located a slot in the forward end of each clamping member. To enter the binding, a boot-mounted plate is inserted in the slot and downward pressure causes the clamping member to move over center. As the downward pressure is applied, however, the ski boot is not in skiing position and there is, therefore, a tendency for the ski to move rearwardly with no convenient means for restricting the movement.